#TeamPUSD
Sharing the Good News and Good Work of Students and Staff
October/November 2016 Edition
Acting Superintendent's Message
Dear TeamPUSD:
How quickly the holidays have come upon us! However you celebrate, there is a lot wrapped up in our traditions – food, family, friends, religion, and history. But for me, the holidays are also an opportunity to serve and think of others. That’s what our staff already does on a daily basis, in the service and education of our children. Take, for example, California Teacher of the Year Megan Gross. Megan is a special education teacher at Del Norte High School. Her classroom is a place where students feel welcome and can access the resources needed to thrive academically and socially in general education settings. Under her leadership, her students launched a school-wide campaign, “Socktober,” to collect socks and blankets to benefit homeless families in their school district as well as created Valentines for senior citizens who lived in a nearby assisted-living facility. As educators, we are on the front lines of shaping our young people’s character, but so often, they are the ones teaching us.
At Oak Valley Middle School, Annie Koshenina’s students walk to nearby Stone Ranch Elementary to work with young autistic students around their reading and communication skills. At Rancho Bernardo High, senior Ava Parisi organized a musical concert “Songs for Shelter” to benefit homeless and at-risk youth. Two Westwood 3rd graders organized a successful costume drive so students at the Monarch School could have a Happy Halloween. The list goes on. I am humbled by the kindness and selflessness that our students are displaying throughout our district.
This holiday season, my hope is that you embrace the same spirit of service. We are a large organization that can leave a strong, powerful, and positive impression on our communities when we empower our students and staff to better our neighborhoods. Find a way to bring joy to someone else this holiday season.
November 15th was my final board meeting as Acting Superintendent. It has been my pleasure and honor to serve as Acting Superintendent for all these months. The Board has now approved an Interim Superintendent: Dr. Tony Apostle comes to us from Washington State. Dr. Apostle retired in 2012 after 37 years as a teacher, coach, principal, and administrator for schools in Washington, including eight years as Superintendent of Puyallup schools. In 2014 he served as Interim Superintendent for Kent School District. I will work closely with him to ensure a smooth transition, and he will remain in place until the Board selects a permanent Superintendent for our District early next year. Thank you to all of you who provided your input online and in person on what qualities our new Superintendent should possess.
Finally I wanted to extend my warm congratulations to the elected Board members, Ms. Kimberley Beatty and Dr. Darshana Patel, who will be officially sworn in at the December 13th Board meeting. On behalf of District staff, we look forward to working with them on continuing and strengthening our mission of college and career readiness for all students. Thank you to all the candidates who ran for school Board. It shows how much you care about our kids and our schools and that you are invested in the future of this District.
May you all find rest, hope, and healing as we close out 2016. I am confident that when we return in 2017, we will feel refreshed and excited to continue on this wonderful journey that we share as part of #TeamPUSD.
Sincerely,
Dr. Mel Robertson
A Message from Interim Superintendent, Dr. Tony Apostle:
I am truly honored to have been appointed Interim Superintendent of the Poway Unified School District. As I begin my journey in PUSD, it is my strong desire to meet as many as possible staff, students, and their families and to engage all parties in identifying what the district must do to maintain and improve the quality of education in PUSD. As I visit with school staff, students, and community members, I will ask and listen to the responses to the following 3 questions:
What are your expectations of the Interim Superintendent?
What do you believe needs to change?
What do you believe needs to be protected and preserved?
I am energized and very much looking forward to working with the PUSD students, staff, families, and community over the next several months.
Introducing: "Excellence in Education"
School, Student, & Staff Achievements
CA Teacher of the Year
Music Educators Awards
Joanne Lichtenberg, Elementary Music Teacher, and Jeri Webb, Westview High School Music Teacher, were recognized by the California Music Educators Association – Southern Border Section (CMEA-SBS) as recipients of the Elementary and High School Outstanding Music Educator Award. They are pictured here with Duane Otani, RBHS Instrumental Music Teacher and CMEA-SBS Executive Board Secretary, who presented their award. Todd Cassen, Westview High School Principal, was also recognized with an Outstanding Administrator Award. Their awards were presented at the 2016 CMEA-SBS Fortissimo Awards Ceremony held in San Diego on October 13th.
Grammy Semifinalist
Ulli Reiner, Orchestra Director at Bernardo Heights and Twin Peaks Middle Schools, has been selected as a top 25 semi-finalist for the 2017 Grammy Education Award. The award was created by the Recording Academy and Grammy Foundation to recognize “current educators who have made a significant and lasting contribution to the field of music education.” As a semifinalist, Ms. Reiner will receive a $500 honorarium with a matching school grant. The list of 10 finalists will be announced in December.
No Excuses Doctorate
Los Peñasquitos Elementary School was awarded No Excuses University’s first-ever “Doctorate Award,” the highest membership distinction. As the flagship school in the no Excuses University (NEU) Network, Los Peñasquitos was selected based on their application demonstrating how NEU has fundamentally changed their school and community. The school has created a culture of universal achievement, due to the belief that each student is capable of meeting academic standards in reading, writing, and math.
Creekside Blue Ribbon
Creekside Elementary School was selected as a 2016 National Blue Ribbon School. U.S. Secretary of Education John B. King recognizes schools based on their overall academic excellence or their progress in closing achievement gaps among student subgroups. These schools demonstrate that all students can achieve to high levels. Creekside Elementary is one of only 29 schools chosen in California and 329 in the country. Principal Christine Donnelly, Administrative Assistant Lisa Nakutin, and Teacher Sarah Crittenden traveled to Washington, D. C. this month to receive the award.
Zonar Grant
PUSD Transportation has been awarded a $50,000 grant by Zonar. Zonar is the District's GPS and Z-pass (electronic bus bass) hardware and software provider. Much of PUSD's vehicle statistical data and fleet is electronically tracked and transmitted through this software. The grant will allow Transportation to move to an electronic tablet device in buses whereby routes are electronically displayed.
Siemens Competition
Jr. Amateur Golf Champ
Steve Sugimoto, a senior at Rancho Bernardo High, won the Southern California Junior Amateur Golf Championship, one of the most competitive junior amateur golf tournaments in the country. This championship is held every October by the Southern California Golf Association (SCGA) to determine the best junior golfers in Southern California. Steve has earned a spot in the 2017 SCGA Amateur Championship, which will be held at Mission Hills Country Club in July.
Student of the Month
Aaron Davis
Carlos Huerta
Evelyn Hupp
Garden Road
Rolling Hills
Transportation Department
Meadowbrook
Character Counts & Red Ribbon Week
Fun Photo Gallery
Diner Night
Cardboard Challenge
Community of Kindness
Socktober
Unity Days
Finance Park
College Fair
STEM Workshop
Great Shakeout
Blood Drive
D39C Vote
Veterans Day
X-Ploration
Dia de los Muertos
NASA Speaker
25th Anniversary
GRES TV
Tech Fair
Maxed Out
SSAC Input
Make Change Count
Rolling Hills Elementary partnered with Make Change Count for Schools to install a donation meter in front of the campus to collect spare change and credit card donations. Similar meters have been installed at Canyon View and Los Peñasquitos Elementary Schools.
Halloween Around the District
Sunset Hills Elementary School
Monterey Ridge Elementary School
Sunset Hills Elementary School
Westview High School
Westview High School
Rancho Bernardo High School
Mt. Carmel High School
Twin Peaks Middle School
Poway High School
Morning Creek Elementary
Morning Creek Elementary
Twin Peaks Middle School
Westwood Elementary School
Westwood Elementary School
Pomerado Elementary School
Mesa Verde Middle School
Personnel Support Services
Twin Peaks Middle School
Poway Unified in the News
Kids Doing Good Things: Oak Valley Middle School
The Great Shake Out at Chaparral Elementary
PUSD Orchestra Teacher Nominated a Second Time for Grammy
Jack O Smash Draws Star Athletes and Special Olympians
Pomerado Elementary Halloween Parade and Safety Tips
Broncos, Titans Put Unblemished Records on the Line
Prep Cross Country: Nighthawks chasing elusive section title
Prep Football: Broncos, Titans set for playoff openers
Hurry-up mode boosts Del Norte past 'dangerous' Otay Ranch
Upcoming Dates
- Thanksgiving Break November 21-25, 2016
- Board Meeting December 13, 2016 at 6pm